Electric massage apparatus.



F. B. TURGK.

ELECTRIC MASSAGE APPARATUS. (Application filed Aug. 12, 1901.)

Patented Mar.'25, I902.

(No Model.)

THE mums PETERS c0, PHOTO-LITHO-v wnsumowu. n, cy

Srmrns Aren't Price.

FENTON l3. TURCK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGJ.

MENTS, TO PERSONAL HYGIENE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF ILLI- NOIS.

ELECTRIC MASSAGE APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 695,971, dated March 25, 1902. Application filed August 12. 1901. Serial No. 71,794. (No model.)

l (tZZ ZU72/O77t it inn/y concern:

Beitlcnown that I, FENTON B. TURCK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and usefullmprovements in Massage Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates particularly to hydroelectric massage apparatus; and my primary IO object is to provide apparatus of this character whereby a body may be treated simultaneously with a shower-bath, electric current, and frictional manipulation.

My invention is illustrated in its preferred I5 embodiment in the accompanying drawings,

in which- Figure 1 represents the complete apparatus; and Fig. 2, an enlarged broken section of a glove or mitten employed, the section being taken as indicated at line 2 of Fig. 1.

A represents a metallic foot-plate or body contact; 13, a glove or mitten which may be worn either by the bather or an attendant; C, a flexible water-bag suspended by a transverse support a between boards or levers C, pivotally joined at their upper ends and spring-connected at their lower ends, said bag having an air or gas connection a; D, aflexible water-tube communicating with a transverse spraying-head, jet-producing device, or douche I), with which the glove Bis provided on its front wrist portion and which is supplied with forwardly-directed perforations b; D, a water-tube connecting the tube D with the bag C; D a wire-conduit with which the tube D is equipped; D a wire within the conduit D and having an uninsulated end 0 within the spraying-head; D", a wire connecting the wire D with the battery D and D a Wire 0 connecting the battery with the plate A.

The manner of use will be readily understood. A quantity of water is supplied to the bag C, and thereafter the bag is expanded by means of compressed air or gas distending 5 the spring connecting the levers C. lhe

bather occupies a position with his feet contacting with the plate A, and if the massaging is to be done by the bather the glove B is applied to one of his hands. WVater under pressure escapes through the perforations l) of the spraying-head b and may be directed to any portion of the body. The palm of the glove or mitten is covered with friction-points or with friction material and serves as a means for massaging the body. When the minute streams of water strike the body, it will be observed the electrical circuit is completed through said streams of water. The resuit is that at the same time the water shower is administered what may be described as a shower of electricity also is administered. As the water in the bag. C is displaced by the air therein the boards C are drawn together by the action of the spring connecting them, thereby reducing the volume of the bag and maintaining the air-pressure.

Experiment has shown that with this apparatus the body may be thoroughly bathed and massaged with the use of a comparatively small amount of water. Inasmuch as the surface of the body which is being treated at a given instant is limited, the harmful shock to the system Which might f llow from the use of a larger quantity of wager is avoided. Moreover, the massagingoperation tends to relieve internal congestion and to increase the exhilarating effect. The application of the electric streams through the minute streams of Water stimulates the nerves and greatly increases the local circulation, thereby enhancing the beneficial result men tioned very greatly.

In case of patients of 10W vitality the apparatus will prove of inestimable value for the reasons already suggested. It will be l1nd61' 8 stood that such a patient may readily be treated by an attendant, since the electric circuit will be completed through the patients body regardless of the fact that the glove or mitten may be worn by the attendant. It is of course understood that the end 0 of the Wire D is insulated from the hand of the person wearing the mitten.

Any suitable means may be provided for connecting the spraying-head or douche with the hand,and the form of the mitten employed for the massaging operation may be varied. Other changes in details of construction within the spirit of my invention may be made. Hence no undue limitation is to be understood from the foregoing detailed description.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

ing an uninsulated portion projecting into said douche, an electric source connected With said conductor, and a body contact connected with said electric source.

4. The combination of a massaging-mitten equipped with a douche, a fluid-supply tube com municating with said douche, a Waterbag communicating with said tube, an electric conductor having an u ninsulated portion projecting into said douche, an electric generator connected with said conductor, and a body contact connected with said generator.

FENTON B. TUROK. In presence of D. \V. LEE, W. B. DAVIES. 

